morton



Jan. 24, 1933.

SUPPLYING FIBROUS MATERIAL FOR INCORPORATION INTO FABRICS Filed Jan. 50, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l VJ. MORTON 1,895,293

Jan. 24, 1933.

J. MORTON ,895,293

SUPPLYING FIBROUS MATERIAL FOR INCORPORATION INTO FABR ICS Filed Jan. 30, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 forward, in lengths Patented Jan. 24, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OF IcEj Y irAMris MORTON, or WEST LOTI-IIAN, scoTnAivn SUPPLYING FIBnoUs A ERIAL FOR INCORPORATION INTO rarities Application filed January 30, 1932, Serial No. 589,828 and in Great Britain March 27, 1931 This invention relates to supplying lengths of fibrous material in parallel or substantially parallel formation ready for incorporation in fabrics during the course of manufacture thereof. The term'fibrous ma.- terial is intended to include all kinds of threads, yarns, cords, tapes and even strips, such as strips of chenille; 1 i

The Object of the invention is to provide a novel method of and means for bringing the fibrous material into the formation of parallel or substantially parallel lengths, and, while in this formation, rapidly feeding it forward, as successive lengths, ready for incorporation in the fabric during the course of manufacture.

According to the invention, the material is passed to the helical convolutions of rotary screw or equivalent feeding devices in such manner as to pass to-and-fro in lengths between the devices. As the devices rotate they automatically bring the material, fed from a source or sources of supply, into substantial parallelism and,"at the same time, feed it v side-by-side and one after the other, to the place'of discharge ready to be incorporated either directly or indirectly in the fabric being manufactured.

Material from one or more'sources of supply maybe formed into loops which are fed forward in substantially parallel formation to the place of discharge. The material may be presented to means which form the same into substantially parallel loops open at one end, the loops being fed forward by the helical convolutions of the rotary feeding devices.

The aforesaid means for forming the librous material into loops may comprise a travelling conveyor or any equivalent means, and the loop conveyor or equivalent may be formed with material-engaging projections or other devices.v

The material may be supplied from one or more cones, cops, bobbins or other mountings on a stationary support, in which event the material can be led to, and placed in engagement with, the devices by travelling or other suitable guide means. This arrangement has the advantage that material can be continuously supplied without the necessity of stop- 'ing with means adapted to draw ping the devices and the fabric-producing mechanism in order to renew the supply. There may be several cones, cops,'bobbins or other mountings and in that event said mountings may supply materialof the. same or different colours.

Where the materials have different colours,

they may besupplied in sequence at regular or other intervals so as-to introduce colour changes, such as stripes. or checks in the. fab ic. i

The material-supply means, the devices and thefabric-producing mechanism are all operatively.interconnected to work in timed relationship. r I All the principal moving parts are preferably arranged, in order that they may work at a high speed, to receive a continuous motion, such as rotary or endless motion, as

distinct from reciprocatory motion.

In a preferred construction according to the inventon, the feeding devices comprise two helicallv shaped members (in appearance something like slightly open helical springs) which are rotated in unison, the fibrous ma teral \extending in substantially parallel lengths from member to member and passing along a helical passageway in each thereof,

the material being supplied thereto by guide means adjacent one member and co-operatout the mato theother terial in loops and supply these consists of member. Each feedng device a continuous strip of metal bent or shaped so as to constitute a series ofconvolutions of helical formation and having a portion ,pro-. vided with external teeth whereby the device can be rotated. i g; p p

In order that the invention can be clearly understood, the. aforestated preferred construction will now be described, by way of ex;

ample, with reference to the accompanying drawings,jin whch:-

l is a front'elevation of the mechanism and Fig. 2 is an elevation looking in the direction of the arrow 11 in Fig. 1. i

Figs. 3 and 4 respectively are sectional elevat'ons corresponding to Figs. 3 and 4,but drawn to a larger scale.

, Fig. 5 is a diagram serving to illustrate the 100 'mounted on a stationary frame of anysuit able construction denoted by 10'.

The feeding devices comprise two rotary helical members 11 and '12, which are preferably vertically arranged as shown and have an appearance somewhat like helical springs with closely spaced coils, a free helical'passage-Gr being ieft'from end to end of each member. The members 11 and 12 respectively are journalled in bearings 13 and l4.-, which may be made of wood, such as lignum-vitae,

these bearings being secured to opposite ends offthe frame 10 and formed with-longitudinal slots l3 'and 14 (see Fig; 3)for apurpose hereinafterdescri bed. The helical members 11 and12' are respectively provided with 1 portions 11 and 12 of greater external diameter than the convolutions themselves, the saidportions being. cut with gear teeth 11 and 12 -which mesh with gearjwheels. 15 and-l6 secured to vertical shafts 17 and 18',

journalled at opposite ends of the frame 10 and driven at the same uniform speed and in V the same direction by a horizontal driving taper to a smaller diameter in the vicinity of I their lower ends and also that the convolushaft 19 through the intermediary of inter-' meshing bevel gear wheels 20. The portions 11 and 12 rest upon the lower bearings 13 and 14 which accordingly support the members 11 and 12. The shaft 19 can be-rotated 'from anysui-table external source; for ex ample, it may have a chain wheel 22 .adapt- .ed to be rotated by a chain drive. H It will'be seen, particularly at Fig.8, that the member 11 is hook-shaped at its upper end 11 and 15 longer than the member 12 and that the bottom ends of both'members are disposed infthe same horizontal plane.

The member 12 also has a hook-shaped upper end 12". Itjwill alsobe seen that the members tionsi themselves become reduced in thickness- I r E r I With the two helical members there isv associated an endless chainconvevor disposed immediately in front of the helical members and extending at an inclination between their upper ends. The chain-passes around-two chain wheels 31 and 32journalled'ata corresponding inclination in bearings 33, 34 'sejcured to opposite ends of the frame'lO. The

chain i's provided with 'tenequi-spacedproj ections 35 wh ch move along a path passing across the tops of both helical members. The

7 chain 30: is driven from the vertical shaft 18 through the intermediary of the following'means,'namely:a chain drive 36 extendin between the shaft 18 and a vertical shaft 2?? an inclined shaft 38 drivenby the shaft 37 through a flexible coupling 39; and V a. chain drive 40 extending between the inclined shaft 38 and the nave 32 of the chain-'- wheel 32. The time relationship between the movement of-the chain and the rotation of the helical members issuch that a projection 35. crosses the top of each member once during each two revolutions thereof. Immediately above the member 11 four tubules are provided .through which are guided four yarns AP, these yarns being of different colours or other characteristics and being supplied from cones, one of which is denoted by B in Fig.2, the yarns passing by I way of any suitable guide arrangement G in the vicinity of the cones and guides 51 secured to. the frame 10. The tubules are carried by little slats, 52 which are pivotally attached at their top ends to avrod 53'supported by brackets 54 which depend I from the frame 10. Eachslat152 has a rounded I portion 55 which. co-operates with one of four tappets 56 projecting radially from a shaft 57 journalled in the brackets 54:," the slats 52 being pulled towards-the shaft 5'7 by springs, one of which, isshown 3.13152. These tappets are equi-spaced angularly around the shaft 57 and they are also spaced apart axially alongthe shaft to such an extent that each tappet can move into register with one portion 55.

Thus, in a complete; revolution of the shaft, 57 the four tubules are displaced in single succession towards the zoo chain 30. This will beclear from Fig. 4,,

in which the tubule 50 'is shown displaced in'the manner described. -The"shaft 57 ode-I rives its rotation from the vertical shaft 17 throughthe intermediaryof a worm'reduction gear consisting of a worm 58, on the shaft 17 and a worm-wheel59 on the shaft" 57, the reduction ratio ofithegearbeing 8 V to 1. J The time relationshipbetween the 1 0- tation of the shaft 57 andftherotation of the member 11' is therefore-suchthatone tubuleis displaced as shown atIfigg t, once during each two revolutions of each member. .The aforesaid chain wheel 22 would be driven from arotary shaft -(not"shown) driving or forming a part of the fabric vproducing mechanism in association with which the mechanism according to the present invention would work, and the timing would; be such that the'helical members each perform one revolution for each cycle of operations of the fabric-producing mechanism.

I The modus operandi of the mechanism will now be described. reference being. particularly directed-to Fig. 5- Asltherein shown,

the yarn A is represented bya continuous 1 full line, while the other three yarns A A V are represented in dotted lines, and it is to be understood that each of these yarns adopts precisely the same form as the yarn A As one of the projections-35 on the endless chain (Fig. 1) moves towards the top of the helical member 11, the tubule 50 isdisplaced and leads the yarn A into the path of the said projection 35 (see Fig. 41). Accordingly, as the chain continues its movement, the projection engages the yarn A (as shown at Fig. 4) and pulls it at a downward inclination towards the right of Figs. 1, 3 a d 5 in an open loop. The formation of this loop can be at once seen y referring to the yarns A A and A each of which is shown pulled into sucha loop in Fi 5. As the said projection 35 continues its movementwith the yarn Al downwards to the right, the hook 11 during the rotation of the member 11 moves around and above the yarn A and conveys the-open or left hand end of the loop downwardsalong the helical passageway G. The movement and inclination of the chain conveyor is such that the downward component of said movement has a speed substantially equal to the feeding speed of the helicalmembers, the arrangement being therefore such that the closed end of the loop engaged by the projection 35 moves downwards at the same rate as the open end of the loop engaged by the member 11. Thus, the approximate parallelism of the loops is' maintained. Eventually, the projection 35jpulls out the loop. of yarn Al to such an extent that the loop moves into the path of the topmost end 12 of the member 12, and during this period the member 11 has beenfeeding the open end of the loop downwards and maintaining the loop horizontal, as shown in full lines at Fig. 5. At this instant, the topmost convolution of the rotary member 12 enters into engagement with the loop and removes it from the projection 35. Thereafter, the loop of yarn A} is fed horizontally downwards by both members until it finally reaches the ends thereof sin'iultaneously and is delivered in two successive parallel lengths.

. During the conveyance of the loops from the top to the bottom of the helices, they pass freely along the helical-passage G, and in their movement they pass the bearings 13 and 14 by way of the slots 13 and 14: provided for this purpose. 7

Precisely the same procedure as above described with respect to the tubule 50 and yarn A is followed with respect to the tubules 50 and the yarns A. As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, all the yarns are fed down the helical passageways G in substantially parallel formation, and as they approach the bottom of the members, they gradually be come more closely spaced, on account of the gradually decreasing pitch and thickness of the convolutions. in the vertical plane-containing the two members 11 and 12, and the slots 13 and 14: are disposedin this plane also,so

cutting along fthe lines The yarns are-all disposed i the axes of that the bearings 13 and 14 offer no obstruction to the downwardly moving yarns. In

yarns present the appearance of a downwardly moving web composed of a continuous sequence of groups of yarns, .each group containing/two lengths of the yarn A followed by two lengths of the yarn A then two lengths of the yarn A and finally two lengths of the yarn A 'thepassage of the yarns down the helical passageway G in the members 11 and 12, the

As the helical members are hollow throughout, the yarns can be fed right down from the tubules 50. These tubules are to introduce one or other of the yarns to the pro ect1ons on the conveyor chain for the :purpose of being pulled into loops.

The mechanism shown is simple and is adapted to work with only four yarns A to A but if so desired more tubules and yarns o 111g iii-that event increased in dlameter.

' The fabric-producing mechanism to which the yarns are fed as above described, in quick I succession and in parallel formation,

would be so timed with respect to the hereinbefore described mechanism that the yarns are acted upon by the fabric-producing mechanism instantaneously before the yarnsare delivered by the members 11 and 12. Thus,'the yarns are, for example,

displaced, 1n the manner descr1bed, in any desired order couldbe employed, thefeedii members be-- knitted'or sewn into a fabric before they are actually delivered. Rows of knitted or sewn stitches .D

are-shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the rows of stitches D being spaced comparatively widely apart.

in a fabric E The fabric E is thus suitable for subsequent indicated by E into strips of chenille, the tufts of the chenille consistingiof portions cut from the originally supplied yarns A I It will be manifest that the invention is applicable to the production of any which requires the insertion of wefts or other cross threads at high speed, whether such fabrics are produced by weaving, knitting or sewing, or by lace or netniachines, or whether the said fabrics are produced by binding fabric I fibrous material, supplied according to thisinvention, by means of adhesive binders. In

the case of weaving,l nitting, sewing, netting;

or lace mechanism, warps introduced to the mechanism are formed into successive, open and the feed devices deliver the lengths sheds,

of fibrous material into thesev sheds, which close and lock each length immediately before it is actually delivered ln carpet or rug vmanufacture, the invention can be used for supplying lengths of chenille fur to the set ting loom. i

lclaim .1. Means for supplying fibrous material in lei rths, comprising feeding devices formed Wltli material-receiving convolutions and having a hollow interior,-means for leading V said'material-to the hollow interiorof one of said device sso as to be engaged by the convolutions thereof, means for loopin said ma terial in lengths extendingfrom the one-to the other ,of said devices, and means for ro= tating said devices so that they feed saidv lengths to a place of discharge.

2. ldeans for supplying fibrous material I in lengths, comprising feeding devices each consisting of helical convolutions,'means for leading said materlal 1n lengths to said devices so as to pass around the convolutions 7 the convolutions thereof, and means for rotating said devices so that they feed said lengths in substantially parallel formation to a place of discharge." 7 V 4t, Means for supplyingfibrousmaterial 1n lengths, comprising twofeeding'devices each consisting of internally open convolutions, means for looping saidmaterialin lengths between said two devices so as to be engaged by the convolutions thereof, and means for rotating said devices so that they feed said i lengths in substantially parallel formation to lengths for prising a pair of helically formed feeding de a place of discharge.

5. ..Means-for supplying fibrous material in incorporation in a fabrlc, comvices, means for leading said material into engagement with one of said devices, means for forming the engaged material into loops and leading saidloops into engagement with the other of said devices, and means for rotating said devices so thattheyifeed said loops in substantially parallel formation to a place of discharge.

I 6. Means for'supplying fibrous material in lengths for incorporation'in a fabric, comprising a devices, guide means'adjacent one of said devices for leading said material into engagement therewith, conveyor for drawing out the engaged material into loops and conveying said loops into engagement with the other of said devices, and "means for rotating said devices so that they feed said loops in substantially parallel formation to a place of discharge 7 v 7. Means for supplying fibrous material i lengths for incorporation in a fabric, comprising feeding devices which consist of materialreceiving convolutions, means for leading said material in lengths to saiddevices so as to be engaged by the convolutions thereof, gear teeth formed .on said convolutions, rotary gearing meshing with 7 said pair of helically formed feeding" 7 gear teeth; andbeing thereby'adapted to rotate said de-- vices so" that the devices feed said lengths to a place of discharge.

8. Means for supplying fibrous material in I lengths for incorporation in a fabric, comprising a pair of'feeding devices which consist of helically formed convolutions, means for leading said material into engagement with the convolutions of one of said devices,

meansfor forming. the engaged material into loops and leading said loops into engagement with the convolutions of the other of said devices, gear teeth formed on said convolutions, rotary gearing meshing with said gear teeth and being thereby adapted to rotate said devices in unison'so that they feed said loops I:

.in substantiallyparallel formation to a place of discharge. c ,7 g

9. Means for supplying fibrousmaterialin lengths for incorporation in a fabric, comprising a pair'of helically formed devices, each having a hollow interior, bearings for said devices, said bearings having slots, means, for

leading said material into the interiorof one of said devices, means forforming the 'engaged material into loops and leading said the other of saiddeloops from the one to vices, and means for. rotating said devices in unison so that they feedsaid loops through said slots in substantially parallel formation to aplace of discharge. 7

10.: Means for supplying anumber of separate fibrous materials for incorporation in fabrics, comprising helicalmembers provided with gear teeth, gearing meshing with said teeth and serving to rotate the members, guides for leading the separate materials'to one of saidhelical members,'a selecting device for moving'saicl guides, and a travelling conveyor extending between the helical members,sa1d conveyor including material-engag lng devices'adapted to pullout the" materials in loops when their guides are moved and to leavethe' loopsin engagement with the other of said helical members, after which the loops are fed in success on along the helical members to a place of discharg 11. Means for supplying a number ofseparate fibrous materials for incorporation in fabrics. comprising two parallel helical members, of different lengths and provided with gear teeth, gearing meshing with said teeth and serving to rotate the members in-unison,

guides for leading the separate materials to the longer helical member, a selecting device for moving said guides, and a travelling clonveyor extendingbetween the helical members, said conveyor 1nclud1ng material-engaging devicesadapted to pull out the materials in loops when their guides are moved and leave 7 the loops in engagement with the shorter helical member, after which the loops are fed in I succession and in substantially parallel formation along the helical members to a place of discharge.

4 12. Means for supplying a number of sep'arate fibrous materials for incor oration in fabrics, comprising two parallel devices of different lengths, each device consisting of a series of convolutions and having a hollow interior, gear teeth formed externally on said convolutions, gearing meshing with said teeth the loops are fed in succession and in sub-- stantially parallel formation along the clevices to a place of discharge.

rate fibrous materials for incorporation in fabrics, comprising two helical members of different lengths and provided with gear teeth, bearings for said members, said bearings having slots, gearing meshing with said teeth and serving to rotate the members in.

unison about parallel axes, guides for lead ing the separate materials to the longer helical member, a selecting device for moving said guides, a conveyor extending at an inclination between the helical members, materialengaging projections on said conveyor, and means for moving said conveyor so that the projections thereon pull out the materials in- 3 loops when their guides are moved and leave the loops in engagement with the shorter helical member, after which the loops are fed in succession along the helical members and through said slots to a place of discharge, the arrangement being such that the conveyors movement has a component in the direction of said axes substantially equal to the speed at'which the loops are fed by the helical members.

14L In or for means for supplying lengths of fibrous material for, incorporation in fabrics, a pair of hollow feeding devices each vonsisting of a continuous strip of metal formed to constitute a series of convolutions of helical formation and having a portion provided with external teeth whereby the device can be rotated. 2 v i 15.- In or for means for supplying lengths of fibrous material for incorporation in fabrics, a pair of hollow feeding devices each consisting of a continuous strip of metal formed to constitute a series of convolutions of helical formation, said convolutions having a portion provided withexternal teeth whereby the device can be rotated and having a material-engaging projection at one end.

16. Means for supplying successive lengths of fibrous material for incorporation in fabrics, said means including two hollow members consisting of helical coils providdevices, a selector for moving said guides, and

13. Means for supplying a number of sepaing continuous internally open passageways which narrow and converge towards their material-discharging; ends, and means for rotating both members. I p

['17. Means for supplying se aratefibrous materials, comprising devices formedwith material-receiving convolutions and having a hollow interior, guides for leadin' said mag.

terials to the hollow interior of one of said devices, a selector for moving said guides in materials can be engaged by the convolutions of'the' said one of the devices, means for looping said material in iengthsextending from the one to the other of said devices,

and means lei-rotating. said devices "so that they feed said lengths to a place ofdischarge;

18'. Means fo supplying se'parate fibrous materials for incorporation in fabrics, saidmeans comprising devices formed withina terial-receiving convolutions and having. a

hollow interior, means for-rotating saidde vices, guides for leading said material to the hollow interior ofone of said devices, tappets, p 96 (Jo-operating with said guides, a shaft to" which said tappet'sare-secured, "means for rotating said shaft at a reduced speed relative tothes'peed of rotation of the said devices; so that the tappets displace the guides in turn into a position in which the respective materials can be engaged by the convolutions of thesaid one of thedevices, and means for loopingvsaid material in lengths extending from'tlie one to the other of, said devices,

which thus serve to feed said lengths to. a place of discharge.

19. Means for supplying successive lengths of fibrous material for ncorporation in a fabric, compris ng two material-feeding de} vices of different lengths and formed with material-receiving convolutions defining ternally' open passageways, said devices beingmounted for rotation about parallelalxes, a

bearings in which said devices are mounted, said bearings liavings'lots, means for leading said material to the longer device so'asto be engaged-iii, the passageway thereof, an" in-;'

cl'ned jco'nve'y'or" for loopmg's'aid" material inilengths from the longer to the shorter of said devices, gear-teeth provided externally on said convolutions, gearing in mesh with its said teeth for the purpose of rotating devices in unison, whereby the'ma-teriarl is fed inlen'gths by the device's along their passageways and in the direction of thei rfaxes,"

the material passing freely through said slots,

and means for moving the conveyor at'aj speed 'sorelated the feeding-speed ofth'e devices that the lengths of the materialare maintained substantially "parallel .1 i QOQMean's in supplying several- 1 p I ,fibrous materials, comprising two; rn'aterial-feediiig.

devices o-f 'di fi eren angers and ior'meawi a materiatreceiviug convolutionsa tnrn into a position in which the respective I 7 ing mounted for rotation aboutparallel axes,

bearings in which said devices are mounted,

. said bearings having slots, means for-leading said materials to the longer device, means for selecting the materials for engagement in sequence by the convolutions of the longer device, aninclined conveyor for looping the selected materials in lengths from the longer to the shorter of said devices, convolutions of gear-teeth provided externally :on the previously said convolutions, gearing in mesh With said :teeth'for the purpose, of rotating the 7 devices in unison, whereby the materials are fed in successive lengths'by the devices along their passageway and in the direction of their axes, the materials passing freely through said-slots, and means for moving the conveyor'at aspeed-so related to the feeding- I speed oflthe devices that the lengths of the r materials are maintained substantially par allel., i

device to rest uponfsaid, bearing means, the

said portion being provided with external teeth whereby the device can berotated;

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JAMES MORTONJ 7 21. Means tor supplying several fibrous 4 materials for incorporation in a .fabric, comprising two material-feeding devices of dif- V "ferent' lengths and'formed with 'material-rev f ceiving convolutions defininginternally open 1 passageways, saiddevices being mounted for rotation about parallel" axes, bearings in which said devices are mounted, said bearings having slots,-pivotal guides for leading the respective materials to thelonger device, means for displacing said guides in a predetermined-sequence so as to bring the mate-f J rials in said sequence intoposltion for ent v gagement by the convolutions of thelonger device, an inclined conveyor, projections thereon for engaging the selected materials and pulling them in lengths from the longer to the" shorter of said devices, convolutions of gear-teeth provided externally ontnevpreviously said convolutions, gearing in mesh with said teeth for the purpose of rotating 3 the devices in unison, wliereby the materials are fed in successive lengths by the devices along their passageways and in the direction 7 V oftheir axes, the material passing freely through said slots,;and means for moving the conveyor at a speed havinga component in the direction of said axes substantially the same asthe speed at which the lengths are 7 fed. V V 7 22. .Means'forsupplyin'g successive lengths of fibrous mater al for incorporation in fabtions thereof, means for looping said material in lengths extending from the one to the other "of said devices, bearing means for said feeding devlces, slots insaid bearing means forthe free passage of said-material, and an external portion on the .convolutions of each 

